The Ethereum Foundation has announced the launch of a new testnet to complete testing the Pectra upgrade and demonstrate the code update a final time before deploying the upgrade. Previous attempts to test the Pectra upgrade on the Sepolia and Holesky testnets encountered several configuration issues. The Hoodi testnet will be deployed on March 17. Ethereum To Launch New Testnet The Ethereum Foundation has announced the launch of the Hoodi testnet following two problematic tests of the Pectra upgrade on the existing Sepolia and Holesky testnets. The new testnet will demonstrate the code update a final time before deployment. Pectra introduces several code changes to make Ethereum faster, more efficient, and more user-friendly for developers and users. The most significant improvement is the addition of smart contract functionality to addresses, allowing user wallets to be programmed with new features like paying transaction fees in other currencies besides ETH. Pectra will be tested on the Hoodi testnet on March 26, when it will be upgraded to the new version of Ethereum and evaluated for performance and stability. Tim Beiko, the coordinator of the Ethereum ecosystem’s core developers at the Ethereum Foundation, stated, “A new testnet, Hoodi, is going live Monday to wrap up Pectra testing. If you need to test validator exits, be on the lookout for it! Everything else can be tested on Sepolia & Holesky. Pectra will be scheduled 30+ days after Hoodi forks successfully, pending infra and client testing. Fusaka planning will run in parallel, with a deadline of March 24 to propose EIPs and a tentative date of April 10 for a scope freeze.” If the Hoodi test is successful, developers will launch the upgrade after 30 days, subject to further testing. If everything proceeds as planned, Ethereum users can expect the Pectra upgrade to launch on the mainnet by April or May. Complications On Sepolia and Holesky The Hoodi testnet was created after complications with testing Pectra on the Sepolia and Holesky testnets, with configuration errors preventing proper upgrade testing. Holesky went offline for multiple weeks due to the flawed tests. Test networks like Sepolia, Holesky, and Hoodi are identical to the Ethereum mainnet. However, they are free to use and do not support at real value. Upgrades like Pectra are implemented on Ethereum’s test networks before being deployed on the mainnet, as disruptions on the Ethereum mainnet could be catastrophic. The Pectra setback comes during a difficult time for Ethereum . The network is facing significant pressure due to declining ETH prices, leadership transitions at the Ethereum Foundation, and skepticism about its ability to maintain market dominance, as well as growing competition from newer chains like Solana. Key Highlights Pectra introduces account abstraction (EIP-7702), allowing users to pay transaction fees in currencies besides ETH. The upgrade will also introduce roll-out Staking Enhancements (EIP-7251), increasing the validator staking limit from 32 to 2048 ETH. Other major EIPs include EIP-7691, EIP-7623, EIP-2537, and EIP-7549. EIP-7691 proposes an update to improve scalability and reduce network congestion. EIP-7623 enhances privacy by allowing users to hide specific transaction details, while EIP-2537 optimizes contract execution, reducing gas costs and improving smart contract efficiency. Lastly, EIP-7549 improves interoperability between different Ethereum Layer2 networks. Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.
